Gridlock: A police officer directs traffic on Jl. Asia Afrika in Central Jakarta on Friday. The traffic was brought to a stand-still as supporters of The Democratic Party flocked to a rally at Bung Karno Stadium. (JP/Arief Suhardiman)

The Jakarta chapter of the Organization of Land Transportation Owners (Organda) has called on public transportation operators not to rent their vehicles out for political campaigns, saying they should prioritize public passengers.

TR Panjaitan, secretary of Organda, said he received complaints that many passengers were stranded due the lack of buses during campaign rallies.

“Public needs should come first. The problem is, sometimes bus operators do not even know that their fleets are rented to political parties.”

“The parties usually come to the bus drivers to rent the buses for rallies, and not the owners of the buses.

“And the drivers will usually take the offers because the money is much more than would earn from a normal days work,” he said on Friday.

During the public campaign period, political parties will stage rallies everyday in each province across the country. The parties usually rent buses and bus crews to transport supporters to campaign venues or using them in motorcades. read more.....